Three more bodies retrieved from Bastari village

BD Kasniyal

Our Correspondent

Pithoragarh, July 3

The bodies of seven residents of Bastari village in Pithoragarh district, who were killed in landslides, were cremated at Charma Ghat here today. Jawans of 8 Assam Regiment retrieved three more bodies, including that of a resident of Naulara village, from the debris, district disaster management office sources said here.

“Besides 100 jawans of 8 Assam Regiment, 100 jawans of the SSB, 140 of the ITBP, 26 of the NDRF and 30 SDRF personnel were engaged in the search operation to locate bodies. Around 150 members of the Didihat Youth Society and the Youth Foundation of India are helping the forces,” said the sources.

They added over 100 affected persons were living in relief camps set up in schools and colleges near the affected villages. Meanwhile, the district administration gave relief money to the affected people today. “We have sent 50 plastic sheets to the affected families of Udma village and have erected some tents to lodge them if space in schools and colleges proves to be short,” said HC Semwal, District Magistrate, Pithoragarh.

According to reports received from Almora, heavy rains last evening caused extensive damages in the Someshwar valley. “Debris entered several business establishments in the Lodh valley of Someshwar town in Almora district. Over 100 farmers and shopkeepers in nearby areas of Someshwar town have been affected as heavy mud and debris have covered their farms and shops,” said Rekha Arya, former MLA from Someshwar.

Someshwar SDM Vivek Rai said some persons had been told to vacate their houses due to impending danger of landslides in their villages. Several bridges had been damaged and villages cut off from the rest of the district.

Meanwhile, the first batch of 55 Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims, which was returning to New Delhi via Almora, had to wait at Dharchula and Didihat for two days as roads ahead were closed. “The pilgrims were sent to Almora from Didihat today,” said a KMVN officer at Didihat.